Innovative Organizing Practices : ACORN’s Campaign in Los Angeles Organizing Workfare Workers

Fred P. Brooks
School of Social Work
Georgia State University
University Plaza
Atlanta GA 30303
404-651-0424
FAX: 404-651-1863
fbrooks2@gsu.edu
Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe and analyze innovative organizing practices used in a union-style organizing drive, by the community organization ACORN, of  the 25,000 General Relief  (GR) recipients required to work for their $221 monthly benefit under Los Angeles County’s Workfare Program. Over the past five years the de facto union--in coalition with over 75 labor, community, and faith based organizations--won numerous substantive reforms in the workfare program including: a grievance procedure (first in the nation), improved health and safety regulations at many work sites, priority hiring lists to help workfare workers get permanent jobs, more equitable treatment of workfare workers, among other victories.

Method:  Using a case study methodology, data was collected from three sources: 1) ACORN’s campaign files, 2) participant observation at three campaign events, and 3) interviews with six ACORN organizers and six members/leaders. Interviews were transcribed, coded, and content analyzed. In addition to a descriptive chronology of the campaign, interview questions were designed to elicit strategic and tactical issues and decisions, and keys to success.

Results: The findings suggested three innovative practices critical to the success of the campaign: 1) combining union-style and community organizing strategies and techniques, 2) combining conflict tactics with direct service, and 3) developing leadership from the GR constituency.

Practice Implications: The success of the campaign has several practice implications: 1) challenges a common myth in organizing that you can’t organize the poorest of the poor, 2) supports union organizing literature (Brecher & Costello, 1990) arguing the wave of the future in union organizing is in coalitions with community organizations, and 3) offers a replicable organizing model for other organizations wishing to organize workfare workers in the wake of welfare reform.